SUZY AND PAUL ON TOUR: 12/01/2009

Thursday, 31 December 2009

Christmas in Sydney

It's Christmas!...

Koala & Platipus -

a Christmas present from our hosts

On Christmas Eve we drove from Stanwell Park on the Grand Pacific Highway, the short distance around Sydney to visit Laurel and Dale, who had invited us to stay for Christmas. It was in excess of 35 degrees but in true Christmas tradition as we were eating a cold dinner for Christmas Day we had a roast dinner and followed it off with Christmas Carols at the nearby Anglican Church. It was magical.

Christmas Day was an early start, with presents around the Christmas tree, a full breakfast of bacon and eggs and a pile into two cars to drive across town for lunch.

A Christmas JD & Coke

With a glass of champagne to toast the whole family, everyone set about opening their Secret Santa's. With many thoughtful gifts and beautiful wrapping it was a wonderful scene.

Lunch miraculously appeared out of a whirlwind of activity and quite obviously days of slaving in hot kitchens. Roasted meats left to cool, prawns, oysters, fresh salads and fruits. A myriad of colours and choices of food - it was such a picture of Christmas that you wouldn't get in grey, cold and snowy England!

We had a wonderful day - thank you to everyone for making us so welcome, so far away from home.

A family Christmas

An Aussie Christmas dinner

Boxing Day

The Sydney to Hobart boat race begins

spinnakers out

Macquarie Lighthouse - our viewing platform

We drove across town to beat the crowds on boxing Day with a guided tour of Sydney and a high morning tea of scones and cream in the base of the lighthouse at Watson's Bay. After a short walk along The Gap to the lookout we headed back in a frenzy of people as we were soaked from head to toe by a heavy shower.
Fortunately, the skies cleared in time for the Sydney to Hobart race, which set off at 1pm shortly after we had finished lunch. We scaled to the top of the lighthouse just in time to catch the start, with all the boats and their spinackers on show it was easy to tell them apart through the mist.

the beach from Home and away

We set off after the boat race for a drive to Palm Beach - where Home and Away is filmed. The scenery was just spectacular and the houses were from another planet. We drove back through Sydney towards Bondi Beach and stopped for fish and chips for tea beside the sea.

Blue Mountains

We'll be back to see the Blue mountains again!

We traveled inland to the Blue Mountains to see the Three Sisters and to marvel at the wonderful views. Unfortunately, as we got there, the cloud clung to the hills and all we got was a glimpse of the sign.

This view should be stunning - see here

We headed on to see if we could get a view from the Visitor Centre and we took the very steep train down into the valley to the bottom of the rainforest. It was absolutely amazing - lush, green, humid and teaming with wildlife. We took the cable car up through the cloud, sadly seeing nothing and lunched in the pleasant arts and crafts town of Leura, returning home quite late in the day for a delicious authentic Australian barbi!

Dale - head BBQ chef

Suzy - chief dog monitor; distracts Mac from the steak

Night shots of Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

thanks to Dale Cole for this pic

The Opera House

An illuminated tour boat floats past - creating this weird picture

Taken by Dale

Sydney CBD at night

Laurel + Dale Cole - our kind hosts over Christmas

Tuesday, 29 December 2009

Wilsons Promontory

Squeaky beach

We drove from Phillip Island along the coast stopping at Venus Bay for a walk along a deserted beach.
Our destination for that evening was Wilsons Promontory where we checked into the campsite by paying the entry fee at the gate and then choosing our own spot.

Parking up in a sweltering heat, saved only by the on shore breeze we made the 300 metre walk to Squeeky Beech. Pure white sands and a sea the colour of emeralds. It was so beautiful that we sat and took it all in for over an hour.

Merry Christmas

Upon finally choosing our space to park for dinner we had a quick bbq burgers and salad tea then set off to watch the sun set over Whisky bay. We were as usual hampered by the weather - no sunset pictures this time!

Friday, 25 December 2009

Grand Pacific Drive

Cambewarra Mountain lookout - Jervis Bay is just visible in the distance (centre)

Kiama Blowhole

Fish and Chips by the sea at Kiama

Grand Pacific Drive

Stanwell Park - lookout and beach

Nowra, Early Christmas Dinner

Christmas Day camping in Nowra

Christmas Spirit

Long Beach, Batemans Bay

Catamaran arrives as we eat dinner,
newly weds come onto the beach for photos

Parked up for the night

Phillip Island

Little Penguins

We spent the night on Phillip Island and stayed at a beautiful campsite right on the edge of the beach. Having prepared dinner early we jumped in the car and sped over to the Penguin Parade Visitor's Centre.

It cost 23 dollars each to enter and the Little penguins were expected to arrive by 8.30pm on the shores and to have made it to their burrows by midnight.

Our campsite by the sea

We choose a space to sit on one of the raised stands built into the nesting areas in the sand dunes and waited patiently. The commentary was excellent, explaining how the birds survived, and what a day in their life would be like.

Then it was all stations go - the penguins were in sight - gathering in their droves waiting for the beach to be dark enough that they could make their exist, then groom themselves for 5 minutes and then return to their nests or their young. It was just an outstanding experience and well worth freezing your nose off into the dark hours to see.

Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs for the animals sake, but the following day as we drove past the San Remo race track we saw several dolphins and a manta ray in the water close to the beach.